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GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!WithGoGuide
GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!

Travel to Japan - Alone or With a Group? Pros and Cons

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by GoWithGuide travel specialist:Fidelia A.

Last updated : Apr 28, 20228 min read

Travel Tips

Are you considering traveling to Japan? Maybe you are considering on whether to travel alone or with a group. Whatever your choice is, I'm sure you would want to get the most out of your trip to Japan!

 

To help you decide the answer to that question, in this article, I will give out the pros and cons of both traveling solo or groups in Japan. Sit tight, and hold on!

Traveling Alone to Japan

Traveling solo has its own advantageous and disadvantageous. Below here I will describe what to expect if you decide to travel alone in Japan.

Traveling Alone to Japan - Pros
  1. Freedom of time

You are the master of your trip! There is no one to hurry you, and you can make your itinerary plans as you wish. As I’m sure you’ve known before, Japan has a lot of beautiful places, and it would definitely be a shame if you don’t spend your time when you’re in one of those spots. 

If you’re traveling alone, you can definitely take all the time that you need!

 

  1. Meeting New People

This happens quite a few times during my trips. I love to travel around Japan, and I usually decided to stay in local houses or guesthouses. In these places, you could find fellow travelers and exchange information. Quite often I found myself actually traveling to our next destinations together. If you’re looking to find new friends, then perhaps traveling solo might be better for you.

 

  1. Finding Yourself

As cheesy as it sounds, traveling solo is actually the perfect time for you to reflect on yourself, and take a step back from your hectic lives. Japan is the perfect place for that reason too since they have a lot of serene landscapes and power places such as temples and shrines. Maybe you can try to unwind and find yourselves again through a solo trip in Japan.

Traveling Alone to Japan - Cons

  1. Expensive Expenses

Contrary to popular beliefs, traveling alone could cost you much more than traveling in a group (if the group is not a big one). Since you need to pay everything by yourself, you might need to pay some things that actually were meant for two or more people.

Japan itself is known to be quite expensive, so you might want to be extra careful with this one.

 

  1. Mutual Fun

...or lack of it. If you’re like me, a true extrovert, then traveling solo might be a little daunting. You can only survive for so long without feeling stressed out from the feeling of being left out. Traveling with a friend might make you try more things, and you could enjoy more out of your trips. If you still want freedom during your trip, while also having a company, you might want to choose to travel with one other person.

 

  1. Safety

Japan is generally safe, so you can be at ease. However, accidents do happen. In times like this, having someone that you can trust by your side would be better, right? Traveling alone might compromise your safety, so if you do not trust yourself, then you might want to travel with a companion.

 

  1. Navigation Challenges

The problem with solo travel is that although you have the freedom of creating your own itinerary, you are also responsible for getting to all those places by yourself!

As we all know, Japan’s public transport system is as effective as it is complicated. Navigating your ways to get to your destinations could be a hassle, especially if you don’t have a companion to help you.

Traveling with a Group to Japan

Traveling with a group of people also has it's advantageous and disadvantageous, which I would explain below!

Traveling to Japan with a Group - Pros
  1. Ease

Contrary to traveling alone in Japan, if you are traveling with a group you need not worry yourself about navigating your way around. You would most probably not worry about where to stay either since most tour groups would handle the accommodations.

 

  1. More Fun

For those of you who prefer to do things with a companion, then traveling with a group would probably suit you more. You can enjoy doing an activity during your travel with others, and get more out of your trip that way!

 

  1. Cheaper

Although this doesn’t apply to every single expense, you can still save some cash if you’re traveling with a group. Sometimes you would be able to split the extra fees with other people, which would make some things (like eating out, perhaps) cheaper!

Traveling to Japan with a Group - Cons
  1. Less Freedom

Depending on how many people are inside your group, you could customize your itinerary to some extent. However, this would be difficult at times since you would need to think of your other companion’s interests. Therefore, you couldn’t completely be the master of your trip.

 

  1. Not Getting Along with Your Companion

This is another consequence of the point above. Because you and your companion might not have the same idea on an attraction spot, there’s a tendency that you could have an argument with your friends. That would make your trip less than comfortable.

 

3. Less Privacy

You remembered when I say that traveling solo might help you find yourself? Well, if you’re traveling with other people you might not be able to do that. Traveling with a group could mean that you would have less privacy, and you might not be able to enjoy your destination as much as you want.

Best Way of Traveling to Japan

Here’s another tip;

You would be able to get the advantage of both solo travel and group travel if you were to hire a guide.

 

Here are a few advantages you can get if you hire a guide:

 

  1. Get to Your Destination in No Time

Whether you’re traveling alone or with a companion, you can still get to your destinations easily if you have a local that could take you there.

 

  1. Custom Itinerary

For solo travelers, you could still contact and ask for advice from your private guide regarding what are the best places to visit during your trip. Your guide would be able to make a custom plan trip for you. If you are traveling in a group, a guide would help you save more time and money by suggesting things you can do.

 

 

Contrary to popular beliefs, hiring a private guide in Japan is not as expensive as you might think. The costs would range from $ 15 - $ 40 per hour. Don’t worry! That price would usually be for an hour, not per person.

 

If you are planning to hire a private guide, I suggest you get one from GoWithGuide! They have a list of recommended guides that could help you during your travels. Moreover, their excellent customer service would make sure that you’d get the best guide to help your trip.

 

If you are not looking for a guide, you might be interested in joining a tour instead. A guided tour that you would take in the span of 6 - 8 hours would help you get to the best sightseeing spots in any city your in. Click here to see the list of private tours available in Japan.

 

In this article, I have reviewed about the best options for your Japan trip, and whether you travel solo or with a group, a private guide would still help you get the most out of your trip. Here’s to a good holiday in Japan!

Gifu Tour Guide - Akiko W.

Akiko W.

GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!5.00 / 5
(6 reviews)
Japan

Hello! My name is Akiko from Gifu prefecture. I am a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter. I like going out with my family, talking with my friends over coffee at a cozy cafe, reading books, baking bread and cake when I have time. I passed the national tour guide test in 2017 and have worked as a guide since then. I have guided in Gifu city, Seki city, Takayama city, Shirakawago , Mino city and Nagoya city. I have lived in Gifu for more than forty years. Gifu prefecture is rich in nature so you can enjoy the rural atmosphere. Gifu city has a beautiful river 'Nagara river' and Mt.Kinka which has Gifu castle on the top. You can go up the mountain on foot or use a ropeway. The view from Gifu castle is so fantastic. At the foot of the mountain , there are many places to visit such as parks, a temple having a big image of Buddha, and a street preserving the historic atmosphere. At Nagara River, you can enjoy seeing a traditional way of fishing ‘cormorant fishing’ which is thought to have started 1300 years ago. Many cafes have unique service called 'morning service' in Gifu along with Aichi In the morning (until about ten thirty or eleven) when you order a cup of tea or coffee, they serve toast and salad ! Near Gifu park , you can find a nice Japanese style cafe where you enjoy good coffee and seeing a Japanese style garden. Seki city is a small city but so famous for its cutlery. At Japanese sword museum in Seki, you can see authentic Japanese swords! Mino city next to Seki city is well known for its hand made Japanese paper 'Hon minoshi' designated as intangible cultural asset by UNESCO . Until recently it was not easy to guide guests because of COVID-19 pandemic; however the situation is getting better. Some strict rules about COVID-19 have been lifted. Please visit Gifu. I am looking forward to seeing you. Please feel free to ask me when you need information about Gifu. Thank you for reading my introduction.                                                                                                                                 

Saitama Tour Guide - Tetsuro K.

Tetsuro K.

GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!5.00 / 5
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I’m an instructor of sushi making for foreign travelers and got the national license as a tour guide last year. Therefore I can provide a guiding for Tsukiji/Omiya fish market and a private lesson for the traditional sushi making for both. If you are interested in bonsai too, travering omiya is a perfect idea since I can provide for all these. I hope I have a chance to help you for unforgetable Japan travel experience.                                                                                                                                  

Yokohama Tour Guide - Haruo T.

Haruo T.

GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!5.00 / 5
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I live in Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture. I have a license to teach in high schools and was admitted to the degree of Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language in the University of Birmingham. Until 2015 I had been teaching English at public high schools in Kanagawa for 37 years. During that time, I had some experience of guiding students from overseas through sister-school relationship around Tokyo and Kanagawa. Therefore, I had good command of English with the TOEIC score of 935. As for a tour guide experience I earned the certificate of National Government Licensed Guide-Interpreter in English and since then I have guided tourists to the popular sites around Tokyo, Yokohama, Kamakura and Yokosuka. My guiding focuses on introducing not only Japanese historical and cultural backgrounds but also giving tourists some tips to travel Japan only by themselves, such as how to use trains and subways, find good restaurants, reserve tickets, buy survenier, and speak basic Japanese. In addition, my tour includes opportunities to experience Japanese culture like Zen meditation, ninja performance, visiting anime's location sites based on tourists' request. Besides, by means of my hobbies of writing English Haiku and Waka (traditional Japanese poems) and performing Rakugo (traditional Japanese funny story telling) in English, I can surely entertain tourists during the tour. My moto as a tour guide is let the tourists have a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Japan with my profound, intelligible and interestiog guiding.                                                                                                                                 

Osaka Tour Guide - Kenji O.

Kenji O.

GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!GoWithGuideFind your perfect tour guide at GoWithGuide. Relax and cherish unforgettable tours with loved ones. Create personalized tours for a truly memorable trip!5.00 / 5
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I lived in Seattle, WA US for several years to study public policy and urban planning at University of Washington and Washington State Department of Transportation . The US life has awakened me to realize its beauty and value of the Japanese nature and culture. After coming back from US, I have started my professional career of the infrastructure development in both developed and developing countries as a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) expert for more than 20 years. I have provided hospitality and honesty as a Japanese during my professional career. I can give you not only sightseeing tours but also technical tours with my expertise. I live in Osaka where an ancient capital city, Kyoto is located within a hour by train. I can show you how Japanese has developed the capital city with urban planning and infrastructure development. I look forward to seeing you here in Japan.                                                                                                                                  

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